"What makes it great is how beautifully and classily it's put together"

Overall Rating
4 out of 5

The new Moto Guzzi Café Classic is a café racer version of the V7 Classic retro roadster warmly received last year. Powered by Guzzi’s small block 750 Nevada V-twin powertrain in an old school twin shock chassis, it’s a dinky, cute runaround and almost embarassingly toy-like for anyone over 5’10”. But what makes it great is how beautifully and classily it’s put together which elevates the Café Classic above it’s fairly pedestrian abilities.

Ride Quality & Brakes
3 out of 5

On the move the Moto Guzzi V7 Café Classic is mostly sweetness and class. The steering’s sharp, the balance neutral, the single disc and fairly basic suspension up to the job and the overall ride both comfortable and easy-going, yet also sufficiently inspiring and engaging to take for a good old fashioned thrape.

Engine
3 out of 5

As with the V7 Classic, the engine is the weakest link on the Guzzi Café Classic, although it’s only lacking when compared directly to more modern units. The 744cc transverse V-twin dates back to the 70s, and it shows in terms of outright performance. But its authenticity is also part of the Guzzi’s appeal and, day to day, is effective and flexible enough, pulls happily from as low as 3000rpm, and, as a bonus, sounds great when wound out to the top (7500rpm) of its usable power.

Build Quality & Reliability
4 out of 5

What sets the Moto Guzzi V7 Café Classic light years apart from more workmanlike novice machines is its sheer style and class. On board you’re presented with a birds-eye view of that long and slim, retro, V7-style tank swathed immaculately in curiously matt-finished golden green. Up front, equally tactile chrome clip-ons and mirrors, bang up-to-date switchgear and evocative, Veglia style twin dials. In fact, everywhere you look there are pleasing touches, from the chromed brake pedal and pillion grab handles, to the retro-style horn covers to the wire-meshed side panels. This is a bike you can gaze at endlessly over a garage cuppa, far more than you can at virtually anything else at the price.

Insurance, running costs & value
4 out of 5

The V7 Café Classic is not exactly cheap, but then, priced around the same as the slightly more basic (although better performing) Triumph Thruxton, it’s not what you’d call expensive, either, especially when you remember a Ducati Sport Classic is around a grand more. Considering the detailing, finish, style and quality of buil,d and components, we reckon the Moto Guzzi is good value. Find a Moto Guzzi V7 Cafe Classic for sale.

Equipment
4 out of 5

With its lower, faithfully-replicated, caff racer-style clip-ons, upswept exhausts, racy single seat and hugely evocative lime green paint (‘Legnano’, they call it, apparently), the Moto Guzzi V7 Café Classic not only immediately hits the mark visually, it’s also mouth-wateringly beautiful in its own right and gives the V7 an aggressive and purposeful demeanor lacking a little on the preceding Classic.

By
MCN Staff

Owners' Reviews

1 owner has reviewed their MOTO-GUZZI V7 CAFE CLASSIC (2009-2013) and rated it in a number of areas. Read what they have to say and what they like and dislike about the bike below.

Now considering MCN's overwelming sway to the Triumph Thruxton when comparing it to a sportsbike rider who wants something different, I question why make such a comparison? Having owned and built anything from a 1950's classic bike to ridden some of... Read more the latest toys I have a good experience of what is on the market and try not to be swayed by own personnel opinions. However, after my own experiences of the bike and those who have also ridden the Bonnies I have to say that the general concensus is that MCN have got it wrong.
The Guzzi is a cute little thing, remnicent of British bikes from the 60's and 70's, which unfortunately modern Bonnies do not achieve as they look like they have suffered a bad case of Botox and old-age gut-extension in the engine compartment (compare a 60's bonnie engine to the latets engine, it drawfs it!). Then, the simple equation of cafe racers, "stripped to bare essentials".You like at the V7CC and there is no extrenious bodywork, headlamp cowls et cetera, it's even single seat and a passenger would be extra weight and against the café personifer!.
With this all in mind and how well it accelerates, handles, brakes et cetera, I am glad that my BMW is now gone and I have a beautiful bike in my garage that complements both my classic and modern bikes as well.